Retinal vascular occlusions in ocular Behçet disease - a comparative analysis.

PURPOSE: The literature on retinal vascular occlusions in Behçet disease (BD) patients is limited. The aim of this study is to thoroughly investigate retinal vascular occlusions among ocular BD patients. METHODS: Retrospective, multicentre case-control study. Three-hundred and three eyes of 175 patients with ocular BD, from 13 hospitals in Israel and Palestine, were included. Patients were assigned into two groups according to the presence of retinal vascular occlusion. Epidemiology, systemic and ocular manifestations, treatments and outcomes were compared between the groups and risk factors for retinal vascular occlusions were identified. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-five patients (71.4%) were male. The mean age at presentation was 28.2 ± 0.86 years. Retinal vascular occlusions were found in 80 eyes of 54 (30.9%) patients, including branch retinal vein occlusion (51.3%), peripheral vessels occlusions (32.5%), central retinal vein occlusion (13.8%) and arterial occlusions (7.5%). Systemic manifestations were similar among both groups. Anterior uveitis was more common in non-occlusive eyes (p < 0.01). Non-occlusive retinal vasculitis (p = 0.03) and ocular complications were more common in occlusive eyes (p < 0.01). Treatments including mycophenolate mofetil, Infliximab or a combination therapy of anti-metabolite and calcineurin inhibitor were more commonly used by occlusive patients (p < 0.05). Occlusive patients underwent more cataract surgeries (p = 0.03). The occlusive group had worse mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) throughout follow-up (p < 0.01). Risk factors for retinal vascular occlusions included male sex and Jewish ethnicity (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Retinal vascular occlusions were found in a third of ocular BD patients. Occlusive eyes had a worse prognosis. Risk factors for vascular occlusions were identified.

Ocular Behçet Disease-Clinical Manifestations, Treatments and Outcomes According to Age at Disease Onset.

Behçet disease (BD) is a multisystemic disease that commonly involves the eyes. Although it affects patients in all age groups, data on ocular disease by age of onset are limited. This retrospective, multicenter study aimed to compare epidemiology, systemic and ocular manifestations, treatments and outcomes between three age groups: juvenile (<18 years), adult (18-39 years) and late (≥40 years) disease onset. The study included 175 ocular BD patients (303 eyes) from Israel and Palestine: juvenile-onset (n = 25, 14.3%), adult-onset (n = 120, 68.6%) and late-onset (n = 30, 17.1%). Most patients in all groups were male. Systemic manifestations were similar in all groups. Systemic co-morbidities were more common in late-onset patients. Bilateral panuveitis was the most common ocular manifestation in all patients. Non-occlusive retinal vasculitis, peripheral vessel occlusions, cataract and elevated intraocular pressure were found more commonly among juvenile-onset eyes. Anterior uveitis and macular ischemia were most common among late-onset eyes, while branch retinal vein occlusion was most common in adult and late-onset eyes. All patients were treated with corticosteroids. Methotrexate, immunomodulatory combinations and biologic treatments were more commonly used for juvenile-onset patients. All groups had a similar visual outcome. Our study showed that patients with ocular BD have varied ocular manifestations and require different treatments according to age of disease onset, but visual outcome is similar.

Evaluation of diabetic retinopathy screening using a non-mydriatic retinal digital camera in primary care settings in south Israel.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the non-mydriatic digital camera for diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening. Secondary purposes of the study were to characterize diabetic patients being screened for the presence of DR and to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of the test. All 6,962 consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing non-mydriatic digital retinal photography between January 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010 in eight community health clinics in the south of the country were included. Comparison of a random sample of patients who underwent non-mydriatic retinal photography, and who were also examined by an ophthalmologist with pupil dilation was also performed. The average age of all patients was 64.2 years. A total of 5,960 cases (85.6 % of all photographs) were of adequate quality for the diagnosis. DR of any degree was found in 1,092 (18.3 %) patients. Normal fundus pictures were found in 49.4 % of patients. In 32.2 % of cases, non-DR pathologies were found. Among cases in which DR was found, 73.3 % (801 cases) had mild non-proliferative retinopathy (NPDR), 7.1 % (77 cases) had moderate NPDR, 6.8 % (74 cases) had proliferative retinopathy, and 12.8 % (140 cases) had diabetic macular edema. Older patients had more chance of having poor quality pictures (p < 0.001 between patients older and younger than 70 years). When non-mydriatic fundus photography was compared with dilated fundus examination by an ophthalmologist, sensitivity of 99.3 %, specificity of 88.3 %, and positive predictive value of 85.3 % were found. Non-mydriatic digital retinal photography is an efficient method for DR screening. The test has high sensitivity and specificity. The test, as performed in community health centers in the south of the country, contributed to the early diagnosis of >1,000 cases of DR. Many patients can be followed up in a fast and efficient way, although the test cannot replace a complete eye examination after pupil dilation mainly in older people. Other non-DR sight-threatening ocular pathologies can be also detected.

"Geyser" leakage on fluorescein angiography.

An 82-year-old patient with diabetes was followed up due to moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy with macular edema in the right eye. Visual acuity was 6/36. Focal macular laser was conducted (A). Three years later, the patient presented with blurry vision in the right eye. Visual acuity was 3/60. Vitreous hemorrhage was observed (B), and neovascularization of the disc was suspected (C). Fluorescein angiography (D, mid venous phase; E-F, recirculation phase) confirmed neovascularization of the disc and depicted a striking vertical leakage. Panretinal photocoagulation was started. Possible explanations for the "geyser" leakage may be either a partial posterior vitreous detachment allowing the fluorescein to track upwards but not elsewhere or a pocket of syneretic vitreous allowing the fluorescein passage in which to diffuse, much like the passage the blood would have taken.

Branch retinal vein occlusion in Churg-Strauss syndrome.

The case is reported of a 64-year-old man who was diagnosed as having Churg-Strauss syndrome associated with branch retinal vein occlusion, without accompanying retinal vasculitis. It was assumed that the blood thrombocytosis caused a hypercoagulable state and thromboembolism leading to the branch retinal vein occlusion.